Image from Project Le Tour by Brent Humphreys
Just received a copy of Le Tour Exhibition catalogue, a collection of photographs by the American photographer Brent Humphreys of the Tour de France. Some stunning photography.
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Radiohead in Concert
What a brilliant video of Radiohead playing Reading last year.
Have to say that I’m loving the new YouTube layout and embedding controls, the HTML5 version is also looking good.
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Bianchi Via Nirone 7 with Shimano 105 Groupset
Finally got a new bike, a Bianchi road bike with Shimano 105 groupset, haven’t riden it yet but I think she looks great.
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Mark Cavendish sprints to victory on the Champs Elysees
Missed the time trial on the penultimate day of this year’s Tour de France so the result was all sewn up before the final ride into Paris yesterday. A third TDF win for Alberto Contador with Andy Schleck runner up and winner of the maillot blanc.
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Franz Kafka
Lawyers open cache of unpublished Kafka manuscripts
Franz Kafka wanted all his manuscripts to be burned after his death, but his friend Max Brod disregarded the request, seeding a complex legal battle over thousands of manuscripts that has the literary world agog. That legal tussle takes a new twist today as four safety deposit boxes in a Zurich bank containing the manuscripts are opened.
The boxes are believed to contain thousands of manuscripts by Kafka and Brod, including letters, journals, sketches and drawings, some of which have never been published and could provide literary detetectives an insight into one of the 20th century’s greatest writers.
Franz Kafka is one of my favourite writers, shame this looks like turning into a shit fight about ‘ownership’, I’d be really excited if some new Kafka work was to be published.
Peony flower
Recent photograph of a peony flower.
Nigel De Jong taking out Xabi Alonso, Kung Fu style
Not the greatest World Cup I can remember, especially so as an England supporter, being spanked 4-1 by the Germans was an absolute shocker and we were utterly diabolical in general.
There was still plenty of drama and incident. What happened to the French is anyones guess, in particular how badly they played, but also how mad their coach is and what a farce the whole campaign was for them. Maybe a bit of karma for that handball against Ireland. It’s pretty amazing to think the two finalists from the last World Cup, France and Italy, both finished bottom of their groups.
I was disappointed to see Ghana lose to Uruguay with a missed penalty in the last minute after a goal line handball, no justice there. I thought Germany played really impressively, scoring a load of goals in the process.
The Spanish played some brilliant football despite never really taking any game by the scruff of the neck. I thought they deserved to win the final, not nice to see the Dutch resort to such cynical tactics, that De Jong tackle was particularly bad.
Team Sky's Bradley Wiggins
Team Sky Unveil Tour Squad
Team Sky have announced the line-up of nine riders who will compete at the team’s debut Tour de France, starting on 3 July in Rotterdam.
Bradley Wiggins, who came fourth in last year’s Tour de France to equal the best-ever finish by a British rider, will be supported by fellow Brits Geraint Thomas and – in his first ever Tour de France – Steve Cummings, along with six riders from other nationalities, all of whom have shown great form throughout the 2010 season.
Just over a week until the Tour De France which starts in Rotterdam this year and, with Team Sky participating, the first tour with a British based team.
Be interesting to see how they do as a team, I personally don’t expect too much this year but we’ll see. Obviously they have Bradley Wiggins who did brilliantly to come fourth last year but I’m not sure he’ll better that this time around.
I think Alberto Contador still has to be the favourite for the yellow jersey and it’ll also be intersting to see how Lance Armstrong and his new RadioShack team get on.
Jermain Defoe scoring against Slovenia
Jesus, that Slovenia game was stressful but we have qualified from our group and now meet Germany in the last 16 in Bloemfontein on Sunday evening. A much better performance, not that that would be difficult given the way we played in the first two games although I think, and hope, we can play better.
It feels like the World Cup is starting to really get going now and it doesn’t get a lot bigger than playing Germany in a big tournament.
I have to say, the camera work in this World Cup is amazing, I guess the TV has also evolved somewhat in the last four years so I guess that helps too.
Extraordinary game over at Wimbledon yesterday, still tied at 59-59 between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut.
My London To Brighton Finishing Time
Completed the British Heart Foundation (BHF) London to Brighton Charity Cycle Ride yesterday. Originally I was hoping to try and get a sub 3 hour time but was less optimistic beforehand due to a lack of any decent practice rides.
I think I was on course for 3 hours before Ditchling Beacon but, as usual, I struggled up that. Anyway, finished in a time of just over 3 hours which I was quite pleased with, an improvement on previous times at least. I also achieved a new top speed of 70.5kmph (43.8mph) which, I have to say, did feel pretty fast.
I was sad to read that one participant died at the event after attempting to ascend Ditchling Beacon.
There were also several large banners along the route erected by a guy trying to avoid a divorce. Despite the effort it doesn’t look like it worked.
It’s a great day out and a lucrative one for a the BHF, they raised over £4 million last year.